Amusement device



May 28, 1929. w. ZOOBLEY AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed NOV. I7, 1927 A TTORNE Y.

Patented May 28, 1929.

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WALDEMAR ZOOBLEY, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

Application filed November 17, 1927. Serial No. 233,959.

This invention relates to toys and amusement devices and it refers more particularly to a toy race track, its principal object residing in the provision of a novel device for entertainment in the form of a miniature racing course on which is placed a series of miniature toy horses supporting riders, and which are adapted to move along the course in such a manner that the outcome will be problematv ical. I

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of an inclined, reciprocable track, over which said toy figures areadapted to move, and further, a means for imparting to said track a reciprocating action, Which causes the figures to progress at successive intervals toward a given point.

Still further, the invention includes means by which the figures are made to traverse the track when the latter is reciprocated, in irregular order, that is to say, at one time, one of the figures will arrive at the goal in advance of the rest, while at another time, another will outdistance the group, consequently the ultimate outcome of any one of the figures is entirely speculative, and for this reason, the game is interesting to operate.

With the foregoing objects as paramount,

further and lesser objects of the invention, as.

well as certain salient features of construction and arrangement of parts will become apparent as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein; I

Figure 1 represents a side elevational View of an amusement device constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view, and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the invention showing the racing position of the figures on the track.

Continuing now more in detail with the drawings, reference is made primarily to Figure 1, wherein is shown the preferred form of easing 1, the sides of which are inclined as shown. A short distance below the top of the casing is pivotally mounted, by means of links 2, a support or track 3. It will be noted that the links 2 are pivoted at a to the sides of the track and at b to the inner sides of the casing walls, and since the track 3 has a limited clearance between it and the ends of the casing 1, it is capable of endwise movement upon the links 2. End pieces 4 are adapted to conceal the space between the end of the track and the casing.

Reference to Figure 2 will disclose the means by which reciprocating motionis imparted to the track. This means consists of a block 5, fixed underneath the track 3, to which is pivotally applied the end of an arm 6, which armextends through a slot 0 in the side of'the casing 1. A handle 7 is mounted on the exterior end of the arm. Dotted lines indicate the "displacement of the members when actuated. i

y A brace 8 has its ends secured to the inner sides of the casing, and projecting toward the center of the casing, pivotally joins the arm 6 at (Z.

Obviously, lateral movement of the handle 7 back and forth will impart to the track 3 a reciprocating action, and due to the inclined position of the track, the figures 9, which in the present case are shown to be a horse and jockey, willv be caused to move down theinclined track in a more or less erky manner, but nevertheless will quickly approach the lowest end of the track. In Figure 2, at either end of the track 3 will be seen alined studs 10, one of which is mounted stationarily in the end piece of the casing, while the other is carried by the end edge of the track 3. Reciprocation of the track will cause these studs to strike in quick succession and produce a sound suggestive of the beat of horses hoofs, lending to the realism of the moving figures.

In order to avoid any possibility of the alined figures approaching the goal at the same time and to increase the speculative interest in the result, the track 3 is roughened on its top surface, as indicated at 6, while the adjacent surface is highly polished. One of the figures, in passing over one of these roughened places w1ll be caused to reduce its speed temporarily, permititng an adjacent figure to overtake 'it,'without any action on the part of the operator. I

Manifestly, the construction described and shown is capable of some modification, and such modification as is considered in keeping with the appended claims,'is also considered within thespirit of theinvention.

I claim:

1. An amusement device, including a casing having a slot in a side thereof, an inclined track member in the casing formed to receive toy figures thereon, said member having its ends spaced from the adjacent ends of the casing, links pivoted at one end to the member and at their opposite ends to the casing sides, alined studs secured to the ends of the member and to the ends of the casing and adapted to impactingly engage With each other, a block secured to the under face of said member, a

substantially V -shaped strip-like member secured at its ends to a side of the casing and having its apex perforated and alined with said stud, and an arm pivoted to said block at one end and extending through said perforation of the V-shaped member and having its opposite end extending through and beyond said slot in the casing side.

2. An amusement device, including a casing having a slot in a side thereof, an inclined track member in the casing formed to receive toy figures thereon, said member having its ends spaced from the adjacent ends of the casing, means to mount said member for reciprocal movement in the casing, a fulcrum member secured to the casing and having a perforated part spaced from a side of the casing, a horizontally oscillatory arm extending through saidslot in the casing side and having an intermediate part extending through said perforated part of the fulcrum member, and means to pivotally connect the inner end of the arm to the under portion of the track member.

3. An amusement device, including a casing having a slot in a side thereof, an inclined track member in the casing formed to receive toy figures thereon, said member having its ends spaced from the adjacent ends of the casing, means to mount the member for reciprocal. movement, and horizontal oscillatory means having a hand engaging portion disposed on the outside of the casing, said oscillatory means having a part disposed on the inside of the casing, means to connect said part to the track member, and means to mount an intermediate part of the oscillating means for pivotal movement.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WALDEMAR zooBLEY. 

